As the snow melts and the temperatures rise, we all want to spend more time outdoors. We envision walking through meadows filled with wildflowers, hiking up mountains and biking around our city. We also are enjoying foods that remind us of spring and summer, such as seafood. There is nothing like visiting the great markets and restaurants near Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco or watching the entertaining seafood shows at the world-famous Pikes Place Market in Seattle, Wash. There are also a myriad of spectacular seafood restaurants and shops to explore in your own city. The best part is that they are often just minutes from your apartment.

Here are the top five seafood cities we found. Does your city make the list?

Seattle, Wash.

The world-famous Pikes Place Market is one of the largest outdoor farmers’ markets in the country, but is also home to Pikes Place Fish, where the fishmongers throw huge fish in the air and catch it, all while putting on a pretty spectacular show of fish mongering expertise. But that is not the only spectacular seafood you will find in the city. Seattle is home to some of the top restaurants and oyster bars in the nation, including Mashiko, a 100 percent sustainable sushi bar; Etta’s, known for its Douglas’s Crab Cakes and other delicious dishes; Tilth, which makes upscale, tasty seafood dishes from the “bycatch” from fishermen going after more popular fish; and Pike Street Fish Fry, known for its crispy cod and chips, as well as fried Southern catfish and calamari.

Portland, Maine

Right next to the Gulf of Maine, residents of Portland enjoy local fish and shellfish whenever they would like. Haddock is king here – as it is along much of the East Coast – along with Maine lobsters. If you want to buy fresh seafood to cook at home, you go to Browne Trading Co., which carries all local the varieties, as well as smoked salmon and caviar. Portland is known for its lobster shacks on the water which include its most notable eateries: Thurston’s Lobster Pound, Shaw’s Fish and Lobster Wharf Restaurant and Estes Lobster House.

New Orleans, La.

Seafood lovers rejoice! Residents of this great city have a ton of fresh fish and shellfish options year-round from the Gulf of Mexico and Lake Ponchartrain. Crawfish, blue crab, redfish and Gulf shrimp are just a few of the items used in the city’s famous Creole cuisine. While there are too many award-winning seafood restaurants in the city to mention here, some of the top restaurants we recommend are Commander’s Palace, Acme Oyster House, Drago’s, Brennan’s and Oceana.

San Francisco, Calif.

Fishermen’s Wharf is an exhilarating place for local foodies to hang out, breathing in the aromas of Dungeness crab from local vendors, the sourdough bread baking and you’re never too far away from a Ghirardelli chocolate bar. It also features some of the most acclaimed seafood restaurants in the U.S., including Alioto’s, Fog Harbor Fish House and Cioppino’s. But you do not have to live near the Wharf to enjoy great seafood. Hog Island Oyster Co., The Codmother Fish and Chips, Catch and Farallon are just a few of the other top restaurants scattered throughout the city.

Boston, Mass.

Boston is synonymous with seafood, famous for its clam chowder – there are competitions over who makes the best one – lobster rolls and other seafood dishes. Residents of Boston have the opportunity to eat at some of the best seafood restaurants in the country, including Legal Sea Foods, Mare, Union Oyster House, Summer Shack, Island Creek Oyster Bar and Neptune Oyster House.

If you love seafood as much as we do, we hope you live near one of these great seafood cities – or by other wonderful coastal cities. If you would like to relocate to one of these locales and are searching for a new home, ApartmentSearch is here to help. Simply visit www.apartmentsearch.com and then select your price range, neighborhood, desired amenities and other factors, and let the site create your own customized list. We will even give you up to $200 in rewards when you let your new apartment community know that you found them on ApartmentSearch. Bon appetit!

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